it

Multifunctional shed has rooftop terrace & hidden roll-out kitchen

This shed packs it all in -- workspace, guesthouse, storage, seating, rooftop terrace and even a concealed kitchen.




it

IKEA is growing lettuce to serve in its restaurants

High-tech hydroponic containers allow for soil-less cultivation and a carefully controlled yield.




it

Hacked office furniture system lets workers sleep, farm and socialize

This office system has been adapted to be flexible, fun and comfortable.




it

Why we love second-hand furniture

The benefits go beyond the joy of the hunt.




it

Plastic trash from Amsterdam’s canals turned into lovely furniture

In “fishing” for plastic to create new things, Plastic Whale Circular Furniture tackles a number of problems at once.




it

This voice-controlled robotic furniture assists disabled folks (Video)

Need a helping hand? This self-adjusting piece of furniture comes to you.




it

Undulating Root Bench is designed with computer algorithms

Emerging out of a park in Seoul, South Korea, this dynamic piece of urban furniture offers a place to sit, walk and play.




it

Lego plans to make their iconic plastic blocks … without plastic

The company will spend $1 billion and employ a team of 100 to find a sustainable alternative.




it

Infento: DIY construction kit lets kids build their own bikes, sleds & scooters

Fed up of shoddy plastic toys? This modular kit of sturdy parts lets parents and kids construct a wide range of awesome kid-powered vehicles.




it

Kids can 'drive' their parent with a helmet that honks, vibrates and flashes

Because the world needs yet more redundant, hard-to-recycle, battery-powered plastic toys whose novelty will wear off quickly.




it

Ollies Blocks encourage kids' imagination & creativity (Review)

Building with blocks and construction toys is a great unstructured activity for kids, and Ollies Wooden Blocks are a superb new addition to the category.




it

Kids ask McDonalds to ditch plastic Happy Meal toys

Their hugely successful petition has even gotten a response – and a promise – from the fast food giant.




it

5 ways to make fruit cobbler without an oven

It's win-win: you don't heat up the kitchen and you still get the best dessert ever.




it

Kids suffer deeply when playtime is not prioritized

Children's lives during summer vacation have been likened to that of battery hens, confined unnaturally and cruelly for long periods of time.




it

How to get started with car camping

It's a great way to spend time outside and travel for cheap.




it

Swedish study finds that living in a house with vinyl floors increases levels of phthalates in pregnant women

We previously reported that phthalates were linked to miscarriages. Now we know they are linked to flooring.




it

Lead and arsenic found in almost half of fruit juices tested

For some of the juices – all from well-known brands – drinking just 4 ounces a day is enough to cause concern.




it

Key West to ban sunscreen with coral-harming chemicals

The Florida legislation will go into effect in 2021 in an effort to protect the world’s third-largest barrier reef ecosystem.




it

Popular e-cigarettes tainted with toxic bacteria and fungus

If the harmful chemicals weren't bad enough, new research finds that many e-cigarettes also include unhealthy biological contaminants.




it

EPA finally proposes a perchlorate standard, and it's way too high

The chemical is used in rockets and munitions. Priorities!




it

40 Favorite fall comfort food recipes

Our best recipes for autumn, when we crave warm, comforting food to counter the falling leaves and frosty bite in the air. These recipes offer vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.




it

Easy pumpkin pie squares with candied ginger [Vegan, Gluten-Free]

These delicious dessert squares skip the crust and the refined sugar. They're quick and easy to make for lightly sweet snacks during fall and winter.




it

9 green living options that improve your quality of life

Think living green is all about sacrifice? Think again!




it

Eating less meat is crucial to climate fight, but politically tricky

A new report finds reducing meat consumption is as important as tackling transportation emissions, but the politics are daunting.




it

Chao Slices: A vegan cheese that's actually quite good

A cheese lover dips his toe into the world of vegan cheese. (Not literally.)




it

American Medical Association urges shift to plant-based hospital food

Between planetary and personal health, there's a lot to be said for eating a lot less meat.




it

The secret power of the flexitarian

The rise in not-quite-vegetarian eating has a ripple effect that shouldn't be ignored.




it

Wing-it Wednesday: My family's simple weapon against food waste

It's become a very tasty ritual.




it

Toyota's new Fuel Cell Vehicle: What it is, how it works, and how it drives

Mark your calendars: Toyota is promising (well, hinting very strongly), their 2015 model year collection will include a full-production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.




it

Toyota’s Fuel Cell Vehicle revealed (sort of...) at the Detroit Auto Show

Last week at CES in Las Vegas, Toyota revealed the FCV concept car for the fuel cell vehicle they will be making available next year. I had a chance to see the concept this week at the Detroit Auto Show.




it

Power from poo: Breakthrough could lead to sustainable electricity from sewage

Oh, the wonderful things that poo can do.




it

Riversimple won't sell its Rasa hydrogen car, but will lease its mileage

Goodbye car ownership, hello "mobility as a service."




it

City of Freiburg has a brilliant alternative to disposable coffee cups

Customers pay €1 for a reusable cup that can be returned to any participating business in the city center.




it

German politicians fear 2020 climate goals are unreachable, but won't give up

Because they started setting aggressive goals early, it still leaves Germany ahead of schedule on Paris Climate Agreement commitments




it

German cities to offer free transit to cut air pollution

Other cities might consider it to reduce congestion too.




it

In Munich, putting people before cars makes transit work so much better

It seems that most transit decisions in North America are made with the goal of making life easier for people in cars.




it

Architect Elrond Burrell on the subjective pleasures of PassiveHouse

It's not all about numbers, really there's more.




it

In Germany, speed limits are 'an affront to masculinity'

Limits would save lives and significantly reduce carbon emissions, but let's keep our priorities straight.




it

Is LEED Breaking Up with FSC-Certified Wood?

After a long-lasting and loving monogamous relationship between the US Green Building Council and the Forest Stewardship Council, it seems the USGBC is considering, not a break up, but definitely thinking




it

Designing Out Waste in Industry Becomes a Priority for Big UK Businesses

This week a new report has been published by UK environmental think tank Green Alliance which unites top UK businesses on a mission to design out waste in industry. The report is called A Pathway To Greener Products and calls on the new coalition




it

When Is It OK to Knock Down Old Houses?

The largest collection of prefab houses in the UK is about to be demolished. Built by German and Italian prisoners of war in 1945, these small bungalows are a remnant of war-time years when housing was at a premium.




it

Europeans To Ban Fire Retardants and Phthalates Critical To American Building Industry

Comments to the post What is the Best Way To Build A Wall? Not A Simple Answer wondered why we wanted to reinvent the wall. The consensus was "Having XPS on the exterior is, I think, the easiest and best solution." I will be




it

Ask Pablo: Is It Really Better To Recycle Paper?

Dear Pablo: I have a tough one for you: shall we recycle our paper? There are both the CO2 and the chemical aspects to consider, and there's arguments against recycling paper in each case.




it

9 old-fashioned habits that I stubbornly cling to

Sure, there are higher-tech ways of operating, but I'm just not interested.




it

More farmers are ditching GMO crops

Even farmers who don't use organic practices are leaving genetically engineered crops behind.




it

Vermont’s mandatory GMO labeling law only awaits governor’s signature

A bill requiring all foods containing genetically engineered ingredients is just one step away from becoming law in Vermont.




it

General Mills agrees to drop “100% natural” labeling in face of lawsuit

In a lawsuit settlement today, General Mills agreed to remove the “100% Natural” from more than 20 of its products.




it

What's wrong with my tomato plant? We have the answer

Here are 4 common problems with tomatoes during the summer – and tips for how to fix them.




it

Detroit Auto Show 2009: All-New Toyota Prius to be Unveiled Soon (But We've Already Seen It)

The Best-Selling Hybrid Car Gets a MakeoverIt might not be very suspenseful because we've all already seen leaked shots of the 3rd generation Toyota Prius hybrid (see below -




it

Detroit Auto Show 2009: First Look at Toyota FT-EV Electric Car Concept

Diminutive but Electrifying The Toyota FT-EV electric car concept that debuted at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show is based on the platform of the 57 MPG Toyota iQ microcar that recently went on sale in Europe and that is apparently already a hit in